Colorado Was Once Home to the Largest Chiropractic Hospital

Back in 1940, a successful yet questionable chiropractor named Leo Spears opened what was then considered the largest chiropractic hospital in the world. The hospital, known as the Spears Chiropractic Sanitarium and Hospital, was erected on 15 acres in Denver, Colorado.

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At the time, Spears claimed to have the ability to cure a laundry list of diseases, including polio, muscular dystrophy, lockjaw, peritonitis, appendicitis, gallstones, pneumonia, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and typhoid, all using chiropractic methods.

However, Spears was considered by many to be underqualified to practice chiropractic healing as not only did he not attend college, but the "doctor" didn't even finish high school. In fact, his only qualifications came from a 19-week chiropractic course.

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Spears was looked unfavorably upon by his colleagues in the medical community, primarily due to his massive advertising campaigns, which, while incredibly successful, weren't necessarily an ethical means to grow his business.

Prior to building the 3,000-bed hospital in Denver, Spears operated a mobile chiropractic business out of a converted trailer, which he then incorporated into his first healthcare center called the Spears Free Clinic and Hospital for Poor Children.

While Spears is largely considered a controversial figure, it should be noted that he did offer a whopping $5 million worth of free services to those who needed it which, by today's standards, would equate to roughly $5 billion.

Leo Spears passed away in 1956, at which time his nephews took over the business until the hospital was ultimately closed and demolished in 1984.